Although I have translated "parca" as "death" in these poems, there is no real reason not to translate them as "fate" or "the ultimate fate." "Death" like "muerte" does not capture the feeling of "fate" or "fateful" like "parca" does.

Of course, the wonder to me of (good) poetry is the sublties of meaning and suggestion and allusion by the use of different associations contained in words. What I call ambiguities.

I remember that uncronopio disagreed with me that good poetry was ambiguous. He made the point that it was clarity that made it good. I think that it is both, but without ambiguity, allusion and suggestion, it is one-dimensional.

Apo

'Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination.' -Max Planck

Of course, the wonder to me of (good) poetry is the subtleties of meaning and suggestion and allusion by the use of different associations contained in words.

To me, every word has meanings, nuances and associations that give it it's flavor, much like different overtones give an musical instrument its particular timbre. That's why sometimes "look for" is better than "search" or "autumn" better than "fall".

And that's what makes translation of poetry so difficult. For example, in English we have two words for what is above -- sky and heaven. In German, there is only one -- Himmel. But Himmel carries with it the idea of a God up above, a concept that "sky" does not contain.

Thanks for the excellent translation. I was unsure of the meaning of "para mi mal".

I think that "para mi mal," literally, "for my bad" could be translated any where from "because of my evil" to "on account of my sickness." I tried to be inclusive and not specific.

Thanks for the compliment, Ilka, but translation of a poem is not so much translating as it is writing in another language just one of the poems that you see in the original.

If you try very hard, maybe you can get a few more of the senses of the original, but really, it is writing a new poem.

(Good to hear from you, by the way!)

Ilka:

To me, every word has meanings, nuances and associations that give it it's flavor, much like different overtones give an musical instrument its particular timbre. That's why sometimes "look for" is better than "search" or "autumn" better than "fall".

Yes!

Apo

'Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination.' -Max Planck

Brazilian dude is in the right track. It is something like 'to my disgrace' or 'to my detriment' but never like "because of my evil'. It is para not por.

I remember that uncronopio disagreed with me that good poetry was ambiguous. He made the point that it was clarity that made it good. I think that it is both, but without ambiguity, allusion and suggestion, it is one-dimensional.

Yes, I sort of agree with you this time.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." -- Mark Twain